Another epilogue
by madeinfrance
Summary: A quiet moment taking place after the events of "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice." Clark x Lois, AU.


_"And now, we join Ed Stewart, live from Heroes Park, where hundreds of people keep coming to pay their respects. Ed?"_

Eyes darting from the TV, Lois focuses her attention back on the water she's carefully pouring, a small smile on her face as the journalist interviews a child and his father about their presence at the site. When she looks up and see the little boy, proud in his blue costume and red cape, her heart warms even more.

Trying not to let fear, excitement and complete panick take over at the thought of the inevitable conversation she's going to start today, Lois grabs her mug and heads back to the table, her unfinished article waiting for her, but her attention is caught by the two men now visible through the window.

It seems like the conversation has come to an end and, as she sits down, head peeking up to continue her spying, she sees them shake hands – awkardly, she notes, and can't help but chuckle.

Clark nods at him as Bruce starts to drive away from the Kent farm.

"So: are you guys best friends yet?", she smirks as he enters the room, proud of herself when he glares at her.

"Ahah - very funny."

"It certainly looked like a good start to me. I mean, that didn't seem awkward at _all_ \- "

"So," he cuts, shaking his head at her as she laughs. "How is the article going?"

"Well, thank you, but you're not going to get away with it so easily."

Playing fake desperation, Clark sighs and comes to sit on the back of the sofa, close and just in front of her chair, and she angles herself to face him.

"It went as well as it could, I guess. I'm going to meet with them when we get back to Metropolis. Bruce and I will probably have to make – communication efforts, I guess?" he frowns. "But I think it'll be okay."

Leaning forward on her sit, she grabs both his hands, chuckling.

"Of course it will. Plus, it's not like it's just the two of you: I'm sure Diana will keep you boys in line," she smirks.

"And don't forget Alfred – he's not messing around," and Lois laughs.

Contouring his fingers with her own, they stay like this for a few seconds before she gathers the strengh to tell him what she had meant to for days.

"You and Bruce are not the only ones that are going to have to make effort in the communication area, you know," she finally manages.

She hesitates, but he just looks at her, patiently waiting for her to continue. And so, she does.

"I just feel like all of this – I feel like maybe _we_ screwed up the communication part. I don't want to sound like every women magazine about couples' problems, and I'm not blaming you, because it's both of us: I mean, I'm always doing my thing regardless of consequences that that could have for Superman, and you shut down when it comes to your insecurities and feelings, so I can't help and - "

Sighing, Lois finally looks up to his attentive blue eyes. "I feel like we've let each other down, in a way."

She doesn't know what she was expecting: incomprehension, confusion, maybe. But instead, Clark simply nods.

"I know."

Surprise registers on her face.

"You do?"

"Yeah. I mean - " he starts, this time his turn to play with her fingers, eyes on their joined hands. "After the explosion in DC, I didn't even listen to what you were trying to tell me," he admits. "I just left - for days."

"Hey, I'm not blaming you," she insists, and he squeezes her hand reassuringly.

"I know - blame shared. Still...I realized some things I should have a long time ago while I was away, but I shouldn't have done that. You're right: I shut down."

"You were upset - "

"So were you. And in the end, you were what brought me back, anyway," and he smiles at her frown. "Long story. All of that to say that I agree," he concludes, his eyes soft. "I'm sorry," he smiles again. Then, leaves his usual good maners aside, and uses her own words. "No screwing up now."

Biting the inside of her cheek, Lois smiles back, but her heart isn't really in it.

"I feel like I wasn't there enough for you either, you know. I should have - "

"Done more than trying to support me _and_ to prove my innocence to the world?"

"Technically, there wouldn't have been an innocence to prove if I hadn't been in that desert."

"Then there would have been something else: Luthor would have found another way to get to me." Tugging at her hand, Clark makes her get up and brings her close, his strong arms carefully encircling her. Eyes still on hers, he drops a gentle kiss on her lips. "And thanks to you, now he can't anymore."

Chuckling, she tightens her grip.

"It was my pleasure, Smallville," Lois whispers against his skin, fingers threading into his thick hair as their foreheads touch. Smiling, she pulls back only slightly, leaving a kiss on his lips herself before beaming up at him. "I'm sorry, too. And you've got yourself a deal: no screwing up now," she promises, borrowing his words. And then –

 _Here it comes_. "Specially since from now on, we have to be very careful with those things."

Although his smile doesn't fade, his brows furrow lightly, and arms locked aroung his neck, Lois holds back her chuckle.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, given that we're going to have to raise a little person in a few months, I think that communication and coordination are going to be key."

And _that's_ when his smile disappear. In a second, his face goes from smiley to complete and utter shock, his hold slightly eases, and confusion and surprise fill his eyes so fast, Lois barely contains her laugh.

He - the Man of Steel, the most powerful being on Earth - just stands there, gaping.

"What – are you -"

 _And_ apparently turns quite inarticulate, the poor thing.

"Pregnant?", she finishes, taking pity on him. "Oh yeah."

As the seconds pass, fear starts to creep up on her, but just when she starts to wonder if she's just given Superman a stroke, slowly, oh so slowly, a smile starts to grow on his face - confused, surprised, and yet, happy. Probably happier than she's ever seen, in fact, and biting her lip, Lois tries to manage her own.

"Are you sure?", he asks, and she nods, a vague of a million emotions crashing over her as well.

"I'm sure: you're going to be a dad, Smallville."

She can feel his chuckle against her skin and through his chest as he leans down to hug her, close, so close, Lois' entire body warms from the inside.

Gosh - talk about an emotional couple of months.

"Are you okay?", Clark suddenly asks, drawing back to look at her. "I mean, at the idea? And just - physically?", and Lois bites back her smirk at his adorable full worried Kent mode.

"To be honest, I'm already dreading the giving birth part, and the prospect of having to help a kid survive when I can't even cook an omelet kind of terrifies me," and although he smiles back, she can see concern already building behind his blue eyes.

Refusing to let it settle there - not today, not about that - Lois smiles reassuringly at him. "I'm okay, honey - everything will be fine. You told me yourself: Kryptonians are not that different from humans."

Fingers gently stroking his hair, she scoots even closer to him. "Everything will be fine. And I have to say, although I _am_ pretty worried about the giving birth process, no matter how painful it turns out to be, the surprised face you just made was _totally_ worth it," she smirks, not even a little ashamed about making fun of him. "So thanks, sweetie."

That seems to work, and although she knows it'll be back soon enough, Lois watches as the worry leaves his face, and his lips quirk up.

"Really? Alright, that's fair," Clark admits as he nods, apparently amused.

He starts chuckling, then, and, eyes settling back on hers, it's his turn to smirk. "But maybe you shouldn't laugh too much: I can still surprise you even more, you know." She snorts.

"And top what I just dropped on you? I don't think so, Kent."

He, however, seems pretty sure of himself, and she's about to make fun of him for it when one of his hands leave the small of her back to disappear in the front pocket of his jeans.

They're so close, she can feel the little jewellery bag when he gets it out.

 _Oh._

Eyes wide in what she's pretty confident is the same pure shock that was on his face a mere seconds ago, Lois looks up at his triumphant, yet slightly nervous smile.

"I wouldn't bet on that, if I were you."

* * *

 _Author's note_ : Inspired by Henry and Amy's quotes regarding Clark and Lois' communication issues in this movie. I took that bit of writing out of another thing I posted here, so that's why it may sound familiar. Hope you liked it!


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